7018

[Brainfarth]

This week, I had to weld many feet of 1/4" horizontal fillet weld which was to be inspected by a CWI. The clock was ticking until the CWI was scheduled to show up on the site and I was the only one with a cert for 7018. I had been running 1/8" and at that rate, I was cutting it too close on time. So I figured I would try some 1/4" 7018 at about 240amps. It would lay flat just fine, but I could not run a horizontal for the life of me. It would undercut very badly even when I turned down the amperage. It seemed that the top of the flux on the rod would prevent me from getting close enough to keep it from long arcing. I did make the deadline and all my welds passed with no rework. Has anyone had any success in all positions with this size of rod?

-Mike

[David R]

They recommend no bigger than 5/32 for out of position. Perhaps if you turned the amps UP, it would have helped. I don't think you are even close to the zone with 240 amps.

Book Sez.....1/4" 7018 315 to 400 amps.

I run 5/32 at 190 amps horizontal. I have only run a little 3/16, so I can't comment. I DO have a 50 lb box of 3/16 8018 for a job coming up soon. Ranger 250 should run it, but it will be close to or all the way up. Book sez 200 to 275 for 3/16. Ranger 250 sez max of 275 amps.

I find with clean steel, really clean, and Lincoln rod, I run it in the upper to top end of the recommended range.

SO, I think you need MO HEAT It will burn the flux off better instead of burning the wire inside the flux.

Do this, drag the rod and keep adjusting the heat till you can feel the flux burning off just fast enough to keep the rod IN the puddle and cutting ahead in the plate.

David

[t4li3sin]

1/4" ! Whooa that must be fun man ... Ahahah ! Why do they have those rods anyway ? Somebody planning to make 1 1/2" fillets with 7018 ? Ahahah ! Im up for it, if they provide the gloves !

[lugweld]

Yeah, I never welded over about 280 amps. I wonder what 400 feels like? You might need a space suit.

[mark8310]

If you don't want to, or are unable to, lug a feeder around, it's a fast efficient way of depositing a lot of weld metal quickly. Especially good, if you're climbing 50' up into gravel pit machinery ......

[neo~hippie]

i welded at 400 amps once...it was my screw up though. i was gouging some brake rigging off a train car and when i came back to weld on the new one i forgot to turn the welder down. 1/8 7018 at 400amps

[Jolly Roger]

I can't tell you the amps for 1/4, but I run 3/16 7018 all day long at about 235 for Hobart and 250 for Excalibur. It's all horizontal fillets, down in a hole and with bad angles on the rod, but no undercutting as long as I don't try and go too fast with it. I have run dual-shield at 650 amps. It's a heck of a fire, will burn your eyes almost instantly, make your clothes smoke, and melt your hood if you get too close, lol.